Amber Blomquist is intimately familiar with the frustrations of working at a grooming shop. Often overbooked, understaffed, noisy and chaotic, it can be anything but a comfortable, calming environment — for pets and employees. 

With The Magical Traveling Pet Groomer, her new mobile pet-grooming business serving the Tri-Cities and greater Chicagoland area, Amber has flipped the script. 

Thanks to a self-sustaining, temperature controlled trailer, she can offer a more personalized, stress-free experience for both pets and their owners. Distractions like incessant barking, crates, long waits and rushing through appointments have been replaced with ample one-on-one attention, happier pets and happier customers. 

She understands that the mobile grooming model isn’t for everyone, but for others, it can be a lifesaver of an alternative.

“It’s great for people with mobility issues, dogs who get stressed out going to the groomers, and dogs who have trouble being around other dogs due to fear,” Amber said. “Plus dogs with autoimmune disorders or people who are uncomfortable leaving their dogs at a salon for hours.” 

Now that she’s living and operating out of Batavia, local pet owners seeking an alternative to traditional grooming salons have something to be excited about.

A full-circle journey

Amber's life in the grooming world began at Arlington Heights’ Academy of Dog Grooming Arts in 1998. After owning a grooming shop in Oak Park and at one point exploring different career paths, she eventually returned to her true calling as an employee. 

But even then, something was missing. She needed her own shop. 

“They say once a business owner, always a business owner, and I believe that is true,” Amber said.

Because she wasn’t particularly interested in owning another salon, the mobile grooming idea offered a lot of appeal. Launching a business in the COVID era had its challenges — production delays, material shortages — but her trailer finally hit the streets in May 2023. 

Now that’s moved from Tennessee back to the Chicagoland area, she’s ready to hit the ground running. 

“Being able to have a salon on wheels was a good alternative to traditional salon grooming,” she said. “Better for the pet, better for me, better for the pet parent.”

A true community approach  

Upon arriving in Batavia, Amber wasted no time becoming an active member of the community by joining the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

She’s already leveraged new relationships with local businesses like FatSams, CryBaby Wellness and other vendors to help organize the Joyful Holiday Market event in downtown Batavia on December 8 and 9. 

If you’re interested in meeting Amber or seeing the trailer, stop by the event and say hi — she’ll be offering $15 nail trims and pawdicures, which is a nail trim with nail filing and paw/pad pad trimming (for an additional $10).

Beyond mobile grooming, Amber is expanding her services to include pet sitting and dog walking and plans to offer a 10% discount to first-time clients, senior citizens and multiple-dog households.

“I am looking forward to serving residents of the Tri-Cities area of Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles with mobile grooming services as an alternative to salon grooming,” Amber said.

Connect with The Magical Traveling Pet Groomer

Those interested in learning more about Amber's services can visit her website or contact her 423-653-0234. You can follow her journey on Facebook and Instagram as well.

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